About 1000 seats have been replaced by about 70 tonnes of sand, a 10-metre wading pool and 80 deckchairs for the winners of a competition run by a ubiquitous soft drink company. It will be the only beach in the world where beach balls are not allowed. Pity the security guard forced to confiscate and destroy any ball which drifts onto the SCG sand.

A beach at the cricket would not have been required in years gone by but with Cricket Australia desperately trying to win over a new generation of fans, a day at the cricket is no longer just about watching the game.

The match, beginning on Thursday, has been overshadowed by the death of Tony Greig and the retirement of one of Australia's favourite players, Michael Hussey.

The Test now has two additional dress codes. Fans will be encouraged to wear pink to remember breast cancer victim Jane McGrath and have been told to wear a broad-brimmed hat, Greig's trademark on Channel Nine, and zinc cream across the face to honour Hussey in his farewell Test.

A crowd of 25,000 is likely for the first day, which is good given the prospect of another fizzer against the hapless Sri Lankans, who lost inside three days in Melbourne.